Band Semisonic revealed Monday that it would not “approve or tolerate” the White House video using the song “Closing Time.”
The official White House and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) X accounts have posted a video showing the deportation of famous songs from the 90s.
“It's closing time. We're making America safe again.” CBP said With that repost.
Semisonic said the White House did not ask for permission to use the song “Closing Time.” (White House | Photo by Frank Misselotta/Getty Images)
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In a statement posted hours later, Semisonic said the band did not approve the video and that the Trump administration “missed the points” of the song.
“We did not allow or tolerate any use of the White House song “Closing Time.” And they didn't ask. The song is about joy, possibilities and hope, and they completely missed the point.”
Fox News Digital reached the White House for comment.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt explained the video during a press conference Monday, saying, “It summarises our immigration policy quite well. We don't have to go home, but we can't stay here.”
“We are not afraid to double and take responsibility and ownership of the serious decisions that are being made, as the White House and our entire government are clearly relying on this president's message,” Leavitt said. “The president was elected on the overwhelming mission of launching the largest massive deportation campaign in American history, and that's exactly what he's doing.”
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White House spokesman Caroline Levitt defended the video, saying it “summarys” the Trump administration's immigration policy. (Getty/White House)
Semisonic joins a long list of famous bands and musicians, including Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Beyoncé and Abba.
One notable exception is the people of the village. After earlier claiming that Trump had stopped using songs “YMCA” and “Macho Man,” the band's founding member Victor Willis changed his mind in 2024 after praised Trump for “producing so much joy to the American people.”
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Peter Pinedo of Fox News contributed to this report.
